The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, the local trade organization representing more than 4,000 members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay, has been appointed the National Association of Realtors Ambassador Association to the Philippines.

As an ambassador association, members of the local association will have the opportunity to expand their global business network and be involved in international real estate activities at the local or state level.

“We are pleased to learn of our association’s appointment,” said Paul Cardus, executive officer of the Silicon Valley Realtor group. “The program will give our members the opportunity to learn more about real estate in that country and develop ties and business opportunities with real estate professionals in this part of the world.”

Each year the National Association of Realtors hosts more than 2,000 real estate professionals from around the world. A majority of these international real estate professionals attend the Realtors Annual Conference and Expo. There are also a number of delegations and individuals that request meetings throughout the year for guidance on the industry, to network and to exchange information about the U.S. and global real estate markets.

The Ambassador Association program was developed by NAR to accommodate international visitors and to expose them to the range of real estate-related opportunities available to them. Many of the exchanges that take place among the national group, the state and local associations emerge from bilateral cooperating agreements that the national trade association maintains with more than 80 real estate associations in 60 countries. Loosely based on the international sister-city programs, NAR appoints “partner” state and local associations to each of the foreign cooperating associations.

The program also presents opportunities for agents interested in developing international business ties, as a result of the growing Certified International Property Specialist Network and globalization within local real estate markets.

Carolyn Miller, president of the local trade association, is among over 30 Realtor members of the local group who obtained their CIPS designation in the past year. She indicated although international home sales in the U.S. declined in the past year, these home sales still made up more than 6 percent of total existing-home sales in value. For the 12 months ending March 2013, international home sales totaled $68.2 billion, compared with $82.5 billion from the previous year.

“Interest in properties is expected to grow. California is regarded by international buyers as a great place to own property,” said Miller.

Jennifer Tasto is chairwoman of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors Global Business Council. At a recent panel featuring agents working with foreign buyers, she explained foreign buyers are especially attracted to property here in the United States “because they know that private property rights are valued in this country.”

In its role as Ambassador Association to the Philippines, the Silicon Valley Realtor group will help facilitate contact between the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association in the Philippines and any state or local association in the United States that requests assistance. A formal introduction with CREBA will take place at the NAR Realtors Conference & Expo, which will be held Nov. 8-11 in San Francisco.

Cardus said agents from the Philippines make up one of the largest foreign real estate delegations that attend the annual conference.

“We look forward to meeting our counterparts from CREBA in November and developing a fruitful and productive business relationship with the association’s members,” said Cardus.

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